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"Through it all I am very thankful for Bart to still be here, it could have been a very different story," Ms Moore said. "It has traumatised us both."

Ms Moore said her family members, who still lived in Gladstone, were equally shattered by the attack.

A Go Fund Me page set up for the dog's recovery has raised more than $5000 and Ms Moore said if the donations were in excess of Bart's bills, the difference would be donated to Australian Animal Cancer Foundation.

She said as a full-time university student studying youth work she was ineligible for financial support.